Dangerous. Menacing. Deadly. Just one look from this subtle creature is enough for anyone to keep their distance. Ten feet, two hundred pounds, and a scowl that would make even the toughest opponent back down. Lurking in the deep portion of the ocean blue is the one creature no one wants to provoke in this habitat. It suddenly stares back at the onlookers with a crooked smile, fangs and all, making a few spectators a little jumpy. Fortunately, there would be no JAWS reenactment or anything like that, thankfully. A sand shark, one of many that populate the I&J Predator Exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium here in Cape Town South Africa goes about its business among the equally dangerous stingrays that harbor nearby.
“This African Tour...How do I go about this? My feelings about this tour now that it will be thankfully over are this: it's thankfully over.”
Mercedes Vargas peers through the glass window watching a school of stingray coast by before she turns towards the camera.
“For a little over a month now, we've visited some interesting places, seen some pretty cool exhibits and monuments and mosques, learned a little history, sampled some cusine, stayed among the beautiful hotels and resorts, and there may have been a little misadventure or two. I can't tell you the many times I had to ask for directions to some of these places. Of the six countries on this scheduled tour, I got to visit Cairo, the Ivory Coast, and Madagascar last show. And speaking of last Climax Control, I was a little worried I was going to go oh-for-three in my matches for this trip, but surprisingly – or maybe not – Emma and I defeated the Bombshell Champion and the challenger to her title, so even though I didn't win out in the battle royal in Cairo, or that me and Traci wasn't able to regain the tag titles at the Ivory Coast, or that I wasn't able to appear in every city, I think this tour turned out well for yours truly."
She smiles, shrugging her shoulders.
“And now to cap it off, I have a chance at making history once again in one week's time at Chaos in Cape Town, South Africa. It's been three years since my last visit to South Africa, and I like to think history is on my side because the last time I came here, I walked away with championship gold in Johannesburg. I swear, it's like every match I'm in there's some milestone that I've achieved or something, especially here in S-C-Dub. Longest Bombshell unpinned/unsubmitted streak, the second Bombshell to hold the Roulette Championship on two occasions, the fastest Bombshell to win the Roulette and Tag Team Championship..."
Her voice trailed off for a moment before she gives way to an awkward pause.
“I was under the impression that I would get a fair shot at Emma for the Roulette Championship, but SCW management wants to go in another direction by adding some competition, and that's fine. I never shy away from competition, you know that. And it just so happens that my competition are two very familiar opponents, so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm up against and what I'm going to get myself into – they probably know as well, but just in case they don't, I think a healthy reminder is in store.
“Joanne Canelli, we'll start with you. Not because you're important, not because you're number one, but because you are the least favorite to win this match. I don't even know why I have to go out of my way to remind my opponents why I've beaten you, consistently, and yet you still continue to persists that I haven't learned my lesson. Sweetheart, did you miss the short bus on the way here? You've never beaten me since I set foot in SCW, or anywhere else for that matter, and you never will. If you happen to win this match, you're only going to win due to luck, although luck wasn't on your side in your return match against Emma one-on-one, which, if I'm not mistaken, was also for the title. Silly rabbit, your chances of winning is all but gone now. You couldn't beat Emma, you definitely can't beat me, and if you're not careful, even Cynthia might get a pinfall over you. Nothing surprises me about you, Joanne. Pretty sure we’ll be getting the same old, same old bread-and-butter lines we’ve heard time and time again. ‘I beat people up for a living. Mafia this, family that. Fuhgetabouit, a Godfather line or two. But all this comes down to is the words made famous by Aretha. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.”
The camera follows Mercedes through the corridor. In the foreground we can see a sea turutle exhibit.
“The only problem I have with that, Joanne, is that it’s kinda hard trying to respect someone involved in organized crime. Someone who likes getting blood on their hands and beating people over the head with baseball bats and shoving their still bodies in the trunk of sedans and dropping them off some pier. That’s not respect, Joanne. That’s fear. Pure, unadulterated fear. You know what it is, I think you’re confused. You don’t want people to respect you; you want people to fear you. Only, the majority of the roster doesn't fear you, let alone respect you, so what's a Jersey Devil Diva to do? Well, you might want to start winning matches, for one. Number two, try to beat top level opponents. Look at me and who I’ve been in the ring with: Necra Octavian Kane, Misty, Vixen, Gothika, just to name a few. You already know that I've headlined Climax Control a couple of times already and I've proven to be one of the top Bombshells in SCW. But don't worry, with a little luck, you, and Cynthia for that matter, can at least try to surpass what I've done in my short time here.”
Words of advice from the veteran? Sure, why not? But knowing the type of person Joanne is, it was hightly doubtful that her opponent was already set in her ways. It mattered not. Mercedes would just another one of her rivals why she is that good at the pay-per-view.
“Speaking of Cynthia..."
Mercedes suddenly breaks into song.
“Cynthia, she's a really cool dancer, Cynthia, boogie to the grove now.”
She stops abruptly, laughing.
“Yes, my friend, Cynthia Warren. Cindy, I'm going to try and break this gently for you so you won't feel too bad, so here it goes: You’re in way over your head and way out of your league. You don’t belong among the elite of this company, you haven’t reached there yet, but there’s always that glimmer of hope that you will one day. It just won’t be at Chaos in Cape Town. Cindy, you and I, just like Roxi and Amy Marshall, have history before we both came to SCW, so I know what you’re capable of and I already know what I can expect from you. You lost in your debut match, and we both know that if it was any other day, Delia and Veronica would eat you and Electra alive. You two got a fluke win; even Ray Charles can see that. The very fact that you're in this match is a absolute joke. And Joanne, you’ve gone MIA since me and Traci beat you and Emma for the tag titles – a shame that our reign ended so quickly, but that’s beside the point – but now you’ve waltzed back into SCW, which is funny because I didn’t even know you left to begin with. No offense.What makes you believe you deserve another shot when you just have failed? You lost your shot at the Roulette title, and now you get another shot? Unbeliveable.
She stops and turns to the camera.
“Don’t mistake the fact that just because you managed to find yourselves in this match that somehow makes you formidable opponents. Silly rabbits. In reality, you two are only in this match to provide some kind of challenge for me to get to the champion, though who are we kidding? You’re not even roadblocks, but merely stepping stones and I’m going to enjoy using you as stepping stones on my way to championship gold. You're hopelessly outclassed, easily forgettable. SCW, in their infinite wisdom, may think you both deserve title shots, but I've wasted enough air and words on two people who doesn't deserve it. The only reason why I'm only doing this is because you both need your fifteen minutes in the spotlight, so you can thank me for namedropping you, because the real match is between me and Emma - and I have no problem making that scenario happen. Unless, of course, you want to prove me wrong. Not that you will succeed, but it does peak my interest. "
Mercedes stops a moment and turns to stare at yet another exhibit, this time a school of hammerhead sharks swim pasts the exotic scenary, looking out at the crowd.
"The champ. The flavor of the month. The newest sensation to the Roulette Championship. I'm sure you already know that out of the four of us, you're the one who faces the greatest disadvantage, Em. If you're feeling a little nervous right now, well, that's because you should be, sweetheart. For you, it’s a fight for survival, because if you’re pinned at any point during the match, it’s bye-bye title. Of course, I would never stoop as low by pinning someone else other than the champion. Given the chance, if I pin you, that silences all the critics, doubters, and naysayers that I couldn't beat the golden girl. I know what you're thinking. “But Mercedes, you don't really need this title, you've won it twice already. You've been a champion practically every place you've been in. The Roulette Championship will be another trinket to you.” Well, two out of three isn't bad. I have won a lot of my titles in my career and I am a two-time Roulette Champion, and the second Bombshell to accomplish that, but I would never, ever, treat the Roulette Championship as a trinket. No, that would go against everything I stand for.
"You declared that you want to make the Roulette Championship THE belt to fight for in the Bombshells Division – and that very well might happen as long as Roxi Johnson holds the Bombshell Championship – but you see, Em, my past two title reigns weren't that memorable. The third time's the charm, and I want to make my third reign better than my last two reigns. If I beat you or Cindy or Joanne, that will be only the beginning. I want to be the opponent everyone in the division wants to face.
"If I sound arrogant, maybe that's because you confuse that for confidence. I've always been confident in my ability, why do you think I've accomplished everything I set out to do in my career? I like to think that you and I are the favorites to win, and come pay-per-view time, I think we'll give them a show they'll never forget."
With a parting wave, Mercedes walks off and we're left with another shot of the exhibit as we fade.
